Pottery topping machine



Feb. 0, 942. w. J. MILLER ETAL POTTERY TOPPING MACl-IINE Filed Oct. '7, 1940 r. 2 i I Patented Feb. 10, 1942 William J. Miller, Swissvaie, Pa.,

Reece, l Scio,

and Lewis l.

Application october '1, 1940, serian No. 360,050

(cl. ca -zz)- x 14 Claims.

This invention relates to a pottery topping machine. It has to do with a'machine particularly adapted for use in topping and swabbing ceramic roducts such as cups, bowls and the like by and.

It is customary to top said articles, which are in the unfired partly dried state, by inserting the unfinished brim in a circular groove in a revolving topping wheel, -made of abrasive material. and swabbing the article to smooth, round off and polish the brim. Water squeezed from a sponge used for swabbing purposes,v onto the surface of the abrasive wheel between topping operations tends to ush clay residue oi! they working surfaces of the wheel and keep the groove clean and lubricated,however, the greater portion of the water is splashed off or thrown oi! by centrifugal action onto surrounding surfaces. Thus, very little water reaches the groove which soon becomes clogged and ceases to function.

One object of this invention is to provide a simple and compact machine for topping potteryware having associated flushing, lubricating and cleaning provisions not heretofore present in topping machines by virtue of which the working surface of the wheel including the groove may be maintained free of cuttings and adequately lubricated and the interior of the machine purged of aqueous sludge; another object is to provide in a machine of the character described an everchanging supply of clean water for moistening toppers sponges, thus eliminating the inconvenience and uncleanliness of the conventional bucket and the need for reworking dirty sponges and water; another object is to provide a machine which may be quickly and easily connected to water and power lines and manually transported from place to place as topping-operations require.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the preferred form of topping machine.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the machine of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing how certain control valves may be automatically operated.

Fig. 4 is a view showing manual control for certain valves.

Fig. 5 is an elevation partly in section showing a modied topping wheel arrangement.

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation showing a modied form of fountain.

Fig. 7 is a detail view of another form of fountain head.

l Referring to Fig. 1, I is a rectangular housing i having a sloping drainage iloor 2 and a'dependling skirt 3 on which the apparatus is supported forming an open bottom portion in order topro- 'vide accessibility to. certain operating mechanism and controlvalves as will be later described. A

horizontal top plate 4 spaced'from the floor 2 is disposed in the upper portion of the housing which extends thereabove to form ay splash guard 5.

3 is a circular topping wheel made preferably of abrasive material having a circular topping groove 'I in the upper surface. Said wheel is cenlar hold down plate I2 screwed into the upper end, said plate being radially ribbed on the underside to bear against the abrasive wheel, AThe space between said ribs forms a plurality of radial channels I3 through which water may now onto the upper surface of the wheel from the hollow spindle 3. Water may flow out of the top of the plate and onto the working surface of the wheel. or a plug Il may be inserted in the hole forcing the entire flow through channels I3. v

Spindle 3 is journaled in upper and lower bearings IS mounted in a vertical sleeve I6 integral with or projecting from the floor I. Secured to the lower end of the spindle 3 is a double pulley I1, said pulley being driven by V belts'lt passing through vertical slot I9 in the side of the housing to permit replacement and being connected to a double pulley 2| mounted on the motor shaft of vertical motor 20 adjustably secured to the side of the housing to enable -proper tensioning of belt I8.

.aligned and supported in upright position by a clamping bracket 25 attached to the end wall of the housing skirt. The fitting 24 is connected to a flexible line 26 having a fitting 21 screwed onto a main supply pipe 23.

When it is desired to change the belts I8, the pipe 23 is disconnected by pulling it out of the gland 22 and bracket 25. thus uncovering ample space to slip the belt through. Water pipe 28 has a stop cock 23 for shutting off the flow of water to the topping wheel and a volume control valve 33. Said pipe is screwed into a T connection 3i having a pipe 32 screwed thereinto which projects outside the housing and is adapted to be connected by 4means of a hose 33 detachably clamped thereon, to a source of supply. Pipe 32 and T connection 3| are located at the rear of the housing so as not to interfere with belt changing operation and a vertical pipe u and branch pipe 34 located above the belts Il is connected to an elbow 35 welded into the floor 2. Screwed into the elbow is a stub pipe Il thereby providing a water jet. Surrounding the Jet is a double walled cup 31, the inner wall thereof being apertured at 38 near the common bottom to permit a drainage flow into the lower walled outer overflow chamber. Thus an everchanging clean supply of water is continuously provided for moistening the toppers sponge. A shut-oil cock 39 and volume control valve 40 are disposed in the line for control purposes.

It is desired that the topping Wheel be operated with a film of water flowing overthe top surface thereof in order to purge the groove of cuttings and wash the same and any aqueous sludge olf the surrounding surface. We provide for a continuous or pulsating flow of water in a measured amount through the hollow spindle 9 whilst the machine is in operation. If desired,

the groove may be purged from the bottom by providing conduits 66 leading from the hollow spindle to the bottom of the groove. Centrifugal action will cause water flowing onto the upper surface of the wheel to spread radially over the surface and to be discharged at the brim thereof. If it is desired to top the Ware with the brim submerged, water may be trapped to a predetermined and desired depth on the surface of the wheel and in the groove by means of a vertically adjustable brim flange 4|.

Aqueous sludge and cuttings thrown oil' by the topping Wheel drain through gap 42 and the many apertures in the top plate 4 onto the sloping drainage floor therebelow. The top plate is washed clean of cuttings byv jets 43 disposed around the side of the guard flange 5. An adjustable jet 44 clamped to the splash guard adjacent the topping wheel is provided specifically for groove cleaning purposes. The jet is directed tangentially into the groove. It is preferred that this jet be operated intermittently. That is to say, during the topping operation it is inoperative. In order to flush the drainage floor 2, jets 4I' may be disposed at spaced points in the housing l, there being a drain 45 at thelower end of the drainage iioor for conducting drainings into a discharge pipe Q6. If desired, said pipe may lead directly to a plunger or to a lter (not shown) for recovering ceramic material. If it is desired to manually clean out drain iloor 2, the cup 3l, which is loosely suspended in place, may be removed and the floor swabbed with a sponge.

The present machine is particularly adapted for use with mass producing potteryware forming and drying machinery such as that disclosed in the patent to William J. Miller, Serial No. 2,046,525. In the system disclosed in the patent mentioned, the ware is produced in molds I8 Fig. 3, arranged in parallel production lines on an endless conveyor i9 including chains engaged by toothed sprockets 50 which transport said molds through a fabricating machine and dryer. At a predetermined point in the dryer, the molds pass by a takeout opening and the ware at this point is sufficiently matured for topping and swabbing. It is proposed, at this zone, to provide a frame consisting of a pair of spaced channels l extending transversely of the dryer opening and in close adjacency theretosupported from the door about waist high on vertical legs. On this frame will be located several of the topping machines in side by side relation and disposed so that one machine will be associated with and in close ad iacency to one or more lines of production. Water and power outlets leading from sources of supply have quickly detachable connections so that topping units may be quickly interchanged or replaced.

We prefer to operate volume control valves l and 40 automatically and in timed relation with the movement of dryer conveyor 49. Cams E2 and 53 properly contoured to provide the desired intermittent valve operation may be mounted on or associated with one or more of the sprockets 50, Fig. 3, preferably adjacent the takeout opening or on a stub shaft lifsynchronized with the conveyor. Each valve lever 58 is connected by rods 58 to a pivoted rocker arm 51 actuated by said cams. Said valves 30 and l0 may be controlled by foot pedals 58 and il if desired as shown in Fig. 4 or these may be arranged waist high for body control purposes.

In the modification of Fig. 5, the grooved top ping wheel 60 rests in a cavitous chuck BI screwed onto the hub of hollow spindle 82 journaled in vertical sleeve I6. -A stationary water'pipe 65 inserted in hollow spindle B2 and held in vertical position by clamp 64 has a threaded end projecting above the top surface of the wheel with a circular plate 65 screwed thereon, there being clearance between the plate and wheel. .Water conducted through pipe 63 and discharged onto the top lsurface of the plate ls influenced by gravity to flow radially down the sloping stationn ary surface toward the topping groove. Thus the water is conducted away from the center of rota tion of the topping wheel substantially to the point of application before centrifugal action takes eilect. Thusthe tendency to throw the water off the wheel is reduced. Water flows from the brim of the plate and drops onto the surface of the topping wheel adjacent the circular groove and, if desired, the diameter of the plate may be such that the water may flow directly into the groove therefrom.

In Fig. 6 is disclosed amodifie'd form of fountain for moistening and cleaning toppers Sponges. B1 is the fountain head having outlet 68 and spring pressed valve 69 which is operated by pressing the sponge 10 against the ring 1l. This depresses the valve and initiates the operation of the fountain. This arrangement may be substituted for the double walled cup shown in Fig. l.

In Fig. 7 there is shown another form of foun tain head which may be substituted for the double walled cup. 'I'his fountain head comprises circular plate 12 having a sloping surface from the center toward the brim in which one or more circular corrugations may be disposed. The plate is preferably apertured as at 13. Water may flow continuously or intermittently through pipe lll and the topper, in using the fountain head, rubs the spongeA hard against the rough surface, in order to dislodge particles of clay, the sponge being all the while purged by the jet. l Thedirt and cuttings thus removed either drop through the apertures or are washed off the surface of the plate by the film .of water flowing thereover.`

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

l. In a pottery topping machine, the combination of a revolvable topping wheel having a circular topping groove therein. a water supply conduit located on the axis of rotation of said wheel a plate also located on the axis of rotation of said wheel for conducting water from said pipe to the working surface of said wheel, a fountain for moistening Sponges, a water pipe connected to said fountain, valves for controlling the volume of Water supplied to said wheel and to said fountain and a common source of water supply for said fountain and said wheel, said valves being individually regulable.

2. In a pottery topping machine, a combination o f a topping wheel having a circular topping groove therein, means for supplying water to the working surface of said wheel and said groove including a stationary plate located on the axis of rotation of said wheel and a stationary pipe extending through the center of the axis of rotation of said wheel and rigidly supported therebelow'.

3. In a pottery topping machine, the combination of a revolvable topping wheel having a circular topping groove therein,l means for supplying water to the working surface of said wheel and said groove comprising a stationary Water pipe located on the axis of rotation of said wheel and a perforated disc having a sloping upper surface of substantially the diameter of the topping groove non-rotatably V mounted on said pipe, the water being deposited on the surface ofthe wheel in the zone of the groove thereby.

4. In a pottery topping machine, the combination of a revolvabletopping wheel having a circular topping groove therein and means in the form of a superimposed plate located on the axis of rotation of said wheel for conducting water to the working surface of said wheel and an adjustable jet superimposed relative to said wheel for cleaning the groove of cuttings.

5. In a pottery topping machine, the combination of a revolvable topping wheel having a circular topping groove therein, a water supply conduit located on the axis of rotation of said-wheel and means for cleaning the groove of cuttings comprising conduits leading from the pipe through the topping wheel and to the base of said groove through which water is discharged upwardly of said groove'.

6. In a pottery topping machine,`the combination of a topping wheel with a circular groove in which the brims of hollow ceramic articles are topped and a water fountain in which sponges are moistened, means for supplying said wheel and said fountain with water, valves for controlling the discharge of water onto said wheel and into said fountain and cams for intermittently operating said valves.

.'7. In combination with a ware conveyor, a pottery topping machine having a topping wheel and a fountain, a regulable--source ofrwater supply therefor including one or more volume con-- trol valves and means operable in timed relation with the movement of said conveyor for operating said valve or valves.

9. In the-art of wet topping potteryware on a rotating grooved stone, the step which comprises, submerging the brim of the article in water to a depth greater than that of the topping groove incident to topping.

10. In pottery topping apparatus, the combination of a rotatable topping wheel on which pottery ware is topped, a fountain for cleaning Sponges used to swab the pottery ware before or after topping, a water conduit having branches leading to said wheel and said fountain and meansfor regulating the volume of water supplied to said wheel and said fountain.

11. In pottery topping apparatus, the combination of a4 hollow rotatable shaft, a rotatable topping wheel mounted thereon on which pottery wareyis topped, a fountain for cleaning Sponges used to swab the pottery ware before or after topping, a water conduit having 'a branch leading to said topping wheel, the flow of water through said branch being normally uninterrupted, and a -branch leading to said fountain said branch having a manually operated valve therein normally closing the flow of water through said fountain except when sponges are being cleaned. y

12. In pottery topping apparatus, a housing having a sloping drain floor with a drain therein leading to the exterior of said housing, a rotatable topping wheel and a fountain for cleaning Sponges disposed within said housing and located above the level of the drain floor and below the upper connes of said housing, a water pipe below the drain floor having branches leading to the wheel and the fountain, an electric motor mounted on the housing externally thereof and having a drive connection for rotating said wheel located below the drain floor.

13. In pottery topping apparatus, a fountain for moistening and cleaningsponges comprising a cup having a jet projecting upwardly through the bottom thereof and a sleeve encompassing said jet having apertures therein near the base of the bottom of the cup to thereby provide a settling chamber for 'sediment removed during sponge cleaning.

14. In pottery topping apparatus, a sponge moistening and cleaning fountain including a fountain head comprising a circular plate having circular corrugations over which the sponge may be rubbed to dislodge sediment and a central aperture through which water is jetted whilst the sponge is being cleaned of sediment.

WILLIAM J. MILLER. LEWIS P. REESE. 

